Published
Sat, Jun 3, 2023, 16:00
- The free update means the synth can process audio in a variety of new ways.
Arturia's MicroFreak just got a ton of new features.
Thanks to a free firmware update, the popular little French synth can now process audio samples of up to 24 seconds. This means you can load any sound into the MicroFreak and then use the synth to trigger or manipulate it.
The firmware also adds three granular synthesis engines called Scan, Cloud and Hit, which chop up audio into little "grains" that can be used to make new sounds. Other features include an expanded library of presets, snappier envelopes, a sample-and-hold modulation source and an update to Arturia's MIDI Control Centre software that makes it simple to upload sampled sounds into the MicroFreak.
Firmware v5 is available now to download from Arturia's MicroFreak page.
The MicroFreak is a digital synth with analogue oscillators and a touchplate keyboard. Released in 2019, it was lauded for its highly versatile and distinctive approach to synthesis, and for its entry level price of €339. Last month, Arturia released a limited-edition all-black version.
Watch a video about the new firmware additions.